Fusee igniting dispenser

ABSTRACT

A rollable cart with a telescoping handle to facilitate pushing by the user, and including a hopper for carrying a supply of fusees to be ignited, transport means operated in timed relation with rotation of the cart wheels for moving one fusee from the hopper so that its igniter end is forced into abutting contact with a heated member for igniting the fusee, and means for then dropping the ignited fusee onto the ground, as the cart is pushed therealong by the user. Disabling means are included to prevent the transporting, ignition and dispensing of fusees during rearward movement of the cart, as when being towed back to the starting point of fusee distribution. The handle and hopper form a unitary structure which is quickly and easily disassemblable from the cart proper, to facilitate packing in a small area such as in the trunk of a peace officer&#39;&#39;s automobile.

United States Patent 1191 Evans [451 Jan. 29, 1974 F USEE IGNITINGDISPENSER [76] Inventor: Clarence F. Evans, 26801 Camargo Dr., Saugus,Calif. 91350 [22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 311,633

[52] US. Cl. 102/374, 221/136 [51] Int. Cl C06d H04 [58] Field of Search221/136-141, 142, 221/148, 266, 149; 102/375, 37.52, 37.6, 37.7, 37.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,946 11/1899 Berman221/142 3,698,317 10/1972 Finch 221/142 Primary Examiner-Stanley H.Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-W. W. Glenny et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A rollable cart with a telescoping handle to facilitatepushing by the user, and including a hopper for carrying a supply offusees to be ignited, transport means operated in timed relation withrotation of the cart wheels for moving one fusee from the hopper so thatits igniter end is forced into abutting contact with a heated member forigniting the fusee, and means for then dropping the ignited fusee ontothe ground, as the cart is pushed therealong by the user. Disablingmeans are included to prevent the transporting, ignition and dispensingof fusees during rearward movement of the cart, as when being towed backto the starting point of fusee distribution. The handle and hopper forma unitary structure which is quickly and easily disassemblable from thecart proper, to facilitate packing in a small area such. as in the trunkof a peace officers automobile.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures FUSEE IGNITING DISPENSER BACKGROUND ANDFIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to adevice for dispensing ignited fusees at spaced intervals along theground, and more particularly to a small, inexpensive cart mounted upona pair of wheels to be pushed along a roadway or other area whereignited flares are to be placed, as to protect the scene of a highwayaccident or the like.

When a peace officer first arrives at the scene of a highway accident,his most important immediate duty is to protect the accident by warningoncoming motorists to decrease speed and by guiding such motoristssafely around the accident. This duty is conventionally carried out bythe officers distributing fusees along the side of the roadway in adirection toward oncoming traffic for a distance depending uponvisibility condi tions, ranging up to as much as several hundred yards.Conventionally the peace officer performs this duty by walking along theroadway with a supply of fusees in his arms or pockets, and he ignitesand drops a fusee at desired intervals along a path selected by him towarn oncoming motorists and to guide them safely past the accident. Theconventional fusee for burning for about minutes is approximately 10inches long and 1 inch in diameter. It can be readily seen that carryinga supply of or more of such fusees is a cumbersome and awkward task,compounded by the necessity of individually breaking off the igniter capand igniting each individual fusee as the officer arrives at theselected spot for placing a fusee.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cartsupported by a pair of ground-engaging wheels, and including storagemeans such as a hopper for containing a supply of fusees, transportmeans for selecting an individual fusee from the supply and moving itinto igniting relationship with an igniter, and subsequently droppingthe ignited fusee on the roadway. The cart may be easily pushed by theuser, such as a peace officer, and is small enough to be convenientlystored in the trunk of the automobile used by the peace officer. In thepreferred form of the invention hereinafter illustrated and described indetail, the storage hopper and a telescoping handle for pushing the cartare formed into a unitary structure, which is readily assembled with anddisassembled from the cart proper. Means are provided in accordance withthe invention for disabling the transport, igniting and dispensingfunction during rearward movement of the cart, as when the peace officertows it, rather than pushes it, back to the starting point, such as theaccident scene itself.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the invention to provide anovel igniting dispenser for fusees. Other and additional objects andpurposes are to provide, in such a dispenser, storage means for fuseessuch as a hopper, and transport means associated with the hopper forselecting a single fusee for movement into igniting and dispensingfunctions; to provide, in such a dispenser, an easily assembled anddisassembled relationship between the basic cart structure of thedispenser and the superstructure, including a hopper and propellinghandle; to provide, in such a dispenser, an electrically heated ignitersurface with which the igniter end of a fusee is forced into movingcontact for ignition; to

provide such a dispenser whose moving parts are actuated in timedrelationship with its rolling movement along the ground, as pushed bythe user; to provide in such a dispenser disabling means for insuringthat, when the dispenser is being towed backwardly, no fusee is removedfrom the storage hopper; and for other and additional objects andpurposes as will become clear from a reading of the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the: invention, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view ofan igniting dispenser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the planeIII-III of FIG. 2, showing a fusee just received from the hopper in therecesses of the transport disks, and, in dotted outline, an ignitedfusee falling from the dispenser toward the ground;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on arrows lV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views, taken at successive moments duringa cycle of operation, as seen on arrows V-V and arrows Vl-VIrespectively of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the arrows VI]- VII of FIG. 6,showing in solid lines a fusee in the position of FIG. 5, and in dottedoutline the same fusee in the later position of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken on the arrows VllI--Vlll of FIG. 4,showing one form of the disabling means in position during rearwardmovement of the present dispenser; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on arrows lX-IX of FIG. 4, showing anillustrative :form of overrunning clutch for disabling the dispensingfunction during rearward cart movement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail tothe drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the illustrativeembodiment of the present invention includes, in its lower portion, acart frame indicated generally at 1.0, here shown in the shape of ahollow rectangular structure having left and right sidewalls indicatedgenerally at 112 and 14 respectively, and front and rear walls indicatedgenerally at 16 and 18 respectively. Frame It) is desirably made oflightweight rigid material such as aluminum, and is carried by a pair ofwheels 20 adapted to roll on the ground 22 during operation, as will belater understood. The wheels are fixed to an axle 24 which is journaledin the sidewalls 112, 14 of frame 10. As best seen in FIG. 4, the leftend of axle 24 projects outwardly of the sidewall M, and has mountedthereon a pinion 25 in mesh with a spur gear indicated generally at 26,for purposes which will be later understood. When the present device isnot in active use, it is supported by the wheels 20 and by the rear edgeof frame 10, and the rear portions of sidewalls 112 and 114 may beinclined as at 27, in order to provide a more secure supporting contactwith the ground.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly from frame 10 is an assembly indicatedgenerally at 30 and including handle means indicated generally at 32,desirably of the telescoping type, and a storage means indicatedgenerally at 34, here taking the form of an inclined supply chute orhopper for containing a quanitity of horizontally disposed fusees to becyclically ignited and dispensed in accordance with the invention. Thusthe handle means 32 may include a lower tubular female portion 35adapted to slidingly receive an upwardly extensible handle rod 36,terminating upwardly in a horizontally disposed handle 37. Means may beprovided for locking the handle rod 36 in its upper or operationalposition, such means here taking the form of a pin indicated generallyat 38 having a shank 39 received in registering openings formed intubular member 35 and rod 36, when the rod is in its uppermost position.

The chute or hopper 34 includes a flat rear wall indicated generally at40, which may be fixed to the tubular portion 35 of the handle means bywelds or the like 41, to form an integral structure. Hopper 34 alsoincludes sidewalls 42, 43, projecting forwardly from rear wall 40 andpreferably formed integrally therewith, the sidewalls terminating ininwardly turned front walls 44, 45, which are spaced far enoughforwardly from rear wall 40 to accommodate the diameter of at least onefusee and, in the present illustrative embodiment of the invention andpreferably, two fusees in stacked side by side relation.

Demountable support means are provided for carrying the hopper andhandle assembly 30 on the frame 10. In the present illustrativeembodiment of the invention, as best seen in FIG. 1, the rear wall 40 ofthe hopper 34 is provided at its lower end with a preferably integrallyformed rearwardly extending portion 47 and a downwardly extending tab48, terminating downwardly in a tongue 49, which is downwardly slidablyreceived in a pocket formed between the rear wall 18 of frame and theflat inner web portion 50 of a bracket indicated generally at 51 mountedupon rear wall 18. By this construction the entire hopper and handleassembly 30 may be disengaged from frame 10 by upward movement of theassembly 30, and may be easily reengaged with the frame 10 by slidingtongue 49 downwardly in the pocket just identified, formed by the webportion 50 of bracket 51.

Hopper 34 is open at both its upper and lower ends, and its lower end,indicated generally at 52, constitutes the supply point or station forreceiving an individual fusee during operation of the present invention.More specifically, means are provided immediately below the supplystation 52 for receiving an individual fusee from the hopper 34, and fortransporting the individual fusee to an igniting zone and ultimately toa dispensing station where the ignited fusee is dropped downwardly ontothe ground.

More specifically, and with principal reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, thetransport means just mentioned consist of a pair of laterally spaceddisks indicated generally at 56 and 58, fixedly mounted on a shaftindicated generally at 59 which is journaled in sidewalls l2, 14 offrame 10. As best seen in FIG. 4, shaft 59 includes an extension 60projecting leftwardly as seen in that figure, on which spur gear 26previously mentioned is mounted. Thus rotation of wheels as the presentdevice is propelled along the ground leftwardly as seen in FIG. 1, istranslated into clockwise rotation of disks 56, 58 on shaft 59, asindicated by the enlarged arcuate arrows in FIG. 3.

Each of the disks 56, 58 is provided with a peripheral recess 61 and 62respectively, and the disks are so mounted on shaft 59 that the recesses61, 62 are in alignment. As will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, each of therecesses includes a semicircular inner portion or bottom, and generallyparallel sidewalls extending outwardly to the periphery of therespective disk. The recesses are so sized as to receive only one of thefusees to be dispensed in accordance with the present invention.

In the operation of the dispenser in accordance with the presentinvention, a supply of fusees is first prepared by removing theprotective cap on the igniter end, and discarding that cap. The fuseesare then loaded into the hopper 34 in horizontal stacked relation, withtheir bared igniter ends all lying in a common vertical plane, theigniter ends pointed leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Asupply of fusees so disposed is indicated at 64 in FIG. 3. In thefunctioning of the present dispenser, the transport means consisting ofthe spaced parallel disks 56, 58, rotate clockwise as seen in FIGS. 3, 5and 6. As the aligned recesses 61, 62 of the disks pass beneath thefront row of the stacked fusees, the lowermost fusee in that row,indicated generally at 65 in FIG. 3, and having an igniter cap 72 at oneend, will fall into the recesses 61, 62. Continued clockwise rotation ofthe disks, caused by continued forward propulsion of the entire deviceby the user, moves the fusee 65 from its position seen in FIG. 3 to,successively, its positions seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Means are provided inaccordance with the invention for retaining the fusee within the slotsduring that movement of the transport disks, and such means are hereexemplarily shown as including a pair of laterally spaced vanes 66 and68, each in substantial alignment with one of the disks 56, 58, andmounted upon rear wall 18 of frame 10 by suitable fastening means 70.The vanes project forwardly from that rear wall, and terminate inconcave arcuate front edges, the front edge 67 of vane 66 being seen inFIGS. 3, 5 and 6. The front edges are substantially concentric with theperipheries of the transport disks 56, 58, and are slightly spacedradially outwardly therefrom.

Igniter means are provided in accordance with the present invention forheating and thereby igniting the igniter cap 72 of an individual fuseeas it is moved from the supply station seen in FIG. 3 through theigniter station seen in FIG. 5 and to the dispensing station seen inFIG. 6. In the present illustrative form of the invention, the ignitermeans, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, includes a generally L-shaped bodyindicated generally at 75 including a base portion 76 and a downwardlyextending leg portion 77. The lower leg portion has mounted on its innerface a heating unit 78 which may consist, for example, of an extendedcoil of electric wire, and an inner contact plate 79, having a smoothinner surface 80. The igniter body 75 is pivotally mounted on sidewall12 of frame 10, as by a pivot pin 81 extending between and carried by apair of spaced support brackets 82 and 83. Means are provided forresiliently biasing the igniter body 75 inwardly toward frame 10, suchmeans being here shown as a tension spring 85 serving to urge theigniter body 75 from its extended position seen in FIG. 7 to itsretracted position seen in FIG. 4. As best seen in FIG. 6, the lower legportion 77 of igniter body 75 extends arcuately through a substantialare between divergent edges 86 and 87, and theheating element 78 and theinner plate 79 are also arcuately shaped. Electrical power for heatingthe heater element 78 in the igniter means may be provided from abattery indicated generally at 90 (see FIG. 3) through wiresfragmentarily shown at 911, 92 to terminals 93 and 94-. Flow ofelectrical power from battery 90 to the heater element 755 is under thecontrol of a switch 95, and the major portions of the electric wiresleading power to the heater unit 78 are omitted for reasons of clarity.

Means are provided in accordance with the invention for axially movingthe selected fusee carried in the disk recesses 61, 62, so that itsigniter cap 72 is brought into contact with the heated surface 84 ofplate 79, in order to ignite the igniter cap. In the present form of theinvention, such means for moving the fusee include a cam indicatedgenerally at MM, and best shown in FIGS. d and 7. Cam MM) is mounted onsidewall I41 of frame 10, is generally arcuate in shape, and presents aninclined ramp face 102 inwardly of the frame. The opposite sidewall 12has formed therein an arcuate slot indicated generally at 104 insubstantial alignment with the arcuate ramp 100 on wall M and, as bestseen in FIG. 6, arcuate slot IM- terminates at its lower end in adownwardly directed discharge throat indicated generally at 106 anddefined laterally by edges 107 and 1108 which are spaced apart by adistance somewhat greater than the diameter of a fusee 65, to permit theignited end portion of a fusee, after ignition, to move downwardlythrough the throat. The forwardly directed edge 108 of the throat I06 isin lateral alignment with the forwardly directed edges 1110 and 112 ofvanes 66 and 68 respectively.

After a desired number of ignited fusees have been dispensed in theabove manner, while the user pushes the device along the ground, theuser will usually return to the starting point, which may be the sceneof the accident being protected. In order to so return withoutdispensing additional flares, means are provided in the presentinvention for disabling the dispensing function during rearward rollingmovement of the device. Thus the user can tow the device behind him inreturning to the starting point, rather than pushing it before him, asis the case during dispensing. In the present illustrative embodiment ofthe invention, such disabling means include the provision of a pair ofpivotally mounted dogs on the transport disks 56 and 5%, the dogs beingindicated generally at 120 and 1122 respectively. As best appears inFIG. 3, dog 120 is pivotally mounted on a short rod 1123 fixed to disk56 and projecting outwardly from the face of the disk. Dog 120 includesa convex edge 1124 having a radius of curvature substantially equal tothat of the disk. The opposite edge 125 of the dog may be of any desiredshape, so long as it does not project outwardly of the periphery of thedisk, and side 125 may be provided at its outer end with a notchedrecess 1126. In its normal or inoperative position seen in FIG.

3, the distal portion of dog 1120 is supported by abutting contactagainst stop pin 1127, which is fixed to the disk 56 and projectsoutwardly from the face thereof. With reference to FIG. 8, dog 120 isshown in its operative position for disabling the transport function ofthe disk, by bridging the peripheral recess 61 formed in the disk. Inthis position the distal end of dog 120 is supported by abuttingengagement between a second stop pin 12% and the recessed notch 126 ofthe dog. The pivot rod 1123 and the stop pin 128 are so positioned thatthe convex edge 124 of dog 120 is aligned with, and immediately adjacentto, the outer periphery of disk 56,

thereby preventing the entrance of a fusee into the re cess 611. Theother dog I22, mounted on transport disk 5%, is symmetrically identicalto dog I20.

Dogs I20 and I22 are caused to assume either their inoperative positionas illustrated in FIG. 3, or their operative position seen in FIG. 8under the influence of gravity, depending upon the direction of rotationof the transport disks. Thus, in FIG. 3., the disk 56 there shown isassumed to rotate clockwise as the dispenser is pushed forwardly duringthe actual igniting and dispensing function, and under those conditionsdog will, after commencing upward movement from its na dir, rotatethrough a portion of a circle about the axis of rod 123 until the convexside 120 rests upon stop pin 127. Disk recess 6B. is thus open,available to receive a fusee. On the other hand, when the transportdisks rotate counterclockwise, as when the dispenser is being towedrather than pushed, the dogs, after leaving their nadirs and commencingupward movement, will eventually assume the position illustrated in FIG.8, thus blocking the entrance of a fusee into the disk recess.

Alternatively, or in addition, the disabling means may take the form ofan overrunning clutch in the power train between the wheels and thetransport disks. An illustrative form of such an overrunning clutch isshown in FIG 9, and includes a ratchet gear indicated generally at 1140mounted on shaft extension 60, and a pair of pawls 1412, M4, pivotallymounted on pins 143, carried by spur gear 26. Other forms of overrunningclutches, such as the type employing balls or rollers which arereleasably wedgable in cages or runways, are of course within thecontemplation of the invention.

Variations and modifications from the illustrative form of the inventionhereinabove described and illustrated are intended to be embraced withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for cyclically dispensing an ignited fusee at spacedintervals along the ground comprising:

a rollable cart having at least one ground-engaging wheel;

storage means for holding a supply of fusees, each having an igniterportion;

igniter means for igniting said portion by contact therewith;

transport means for receiving a single fusee from the storage means,moving it so that its igniter portion contacts the igniter means, andthen dispensing the ignited fusee from the machine;

and means interengaging the transport means with the wheel whereby anignited fusee is dispensed in timed relation with rotation of the wheelin a forward direction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage meanscomprise a hopper extending upwardly from and supported by the cart.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including an upwardly extendinghandle fixed to the hopper to form a unitary structure.

4-. The invention as defined in claim 3 including means for rapidlyassembling the unitary structure to the cart, comprising means carriedby the cart for forming a substantially vertically extending pocket, anda tongue carried by the unitary structure adapted to be receiveddownwardly in the pocket.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said handle includes alower tubular portion fixed to the hopper, and an upper rod portionslidably received in the tubular portion, and including means forselectively locking the rod in its uppermost position relative to thetubular portion.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the fusees constitutingsaid supply each consist of an elongated cylindrical body, and thefusees are stored in the hopper in horizontal, side-by-side relation.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein the igniter portion ofeach fusee constitues an igniter cap at one end of the fusee, and thefusees are stored in the hopper with their igniter caps lying in avertical plane.

8. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said transport meansincludes a pair of transport members spaced laterally of the cart, eachelement including a fusee-receiving recess, the recesses being laterallyaligned.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said transport elementscomprise a pair of transport disks, and the recesses are formed in theperipheries of the disks.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said transport disks arefixedly mounted on a common shaft, and said interengaging means includemeans for rotating the shaft in timed relation with rotation of thewheel.

1 l. The invention as defined in claim 1 including disabling means forpreventing the transport means from receiving a fusee from the storagemeans when wheel rotation is rearward.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein the interengaging meansincludes a power train, and the disabling means comprises an overrunningclutch in the power train.

13. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said transport meansincludes a pair of transport disks fixedly mounted in laterally spacedrelation on a transverse shaft carried by the cart, each disk providedwith a peripheral recess, the recesses being laterally aligned, and thedisabling means comprising elements blocking fusee entrance into saidrecesses when said shaft and disks rotate in a direction correspondingto rearward direction of said wheel rotation.

1. A machine for cyclically dispensing an ignited fusee at spacedintervals along the ground comprising: a rollable cart having at leastone ground-engaging wheel; storage means for holding a supply of fusees,each having an igniter portion; igniter means for igniting said portionby contact therewith; transport means for receiving a single fusee fromthe storage means, moving it so that its igniter portion contacts theigniter means, and then dispensing the ignited fusee from the machine;and means interengaging the transport means with the wheel whereby anignited fusee is dispensed in timed relation with rotation of the wheelin a forward direction.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 whereinthe storage means comprise a hopper extending upwardly from andsupported by the cart.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 includingan upwardly extending handle fixed to the hopper to form a unitarystructure.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including means forrapidly assembling the unitary structure to the cart, comprising meanscarried by the cart for forming a substantially vertically extendingpocket, and a tongue carried by the unitary structure adapted to bereceived downwardly in the pocket.
 5. The invention as defined in claim3 wherein said handle includes a lower tubular portion fixed to thehopper, and an upper rod portion slidably received in the tubularportion, and including means for selectively locking the rod in itsuppermost position relative to the tubular portion.
 6. The invention asdefined in claim 2 in which the fusees constituting said supply eachconsist of an elongated cylindrical body, and the fusees are stored inthe hopper in horizontal, side-by-side relation.
 7. The invention asdefined in claim 6 wherein the igniter portion of each fusee constituesan igniter cap at one end of the fusee, and the fusees are stored in thehopper with their igniter caps lying in a vertical plane.
 8. Theinvention as defined in claim 2 wherein said transport means includes apair of transport members spaced laterally of the cart, each elementincluding a fusee-receiving recess, the recesses being laterallyaligned.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said transportelements comprise a pair of transport disks, and the recesses are formedin the peripheries of the disks.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 9wherein said transport disks are fixedly mounted on a common shaft, andsaid interengaging means include means for rotating the shaft in timedrelation with rotation of the wheel.
 11. The invention as defined inclaim 1 including disabling means for preventing the transport meansfrom receiving a fusee from the storage means when wheel rotation isrearward.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein theinterengaging means includes a power train, and the disabling meanscomprises an overrunning clutch in the power train.
 13. The invention asdefined in claim 11 wherein said transport means includes a pair oftransport disks fixedly mounted in laterally spaced relation on atransverse shaft carried by the cart, each disk provided with aperipheral recess, the recesses being laterally aligned, and thedisabling means comprising elements blocking fusee entrance into saidrecesses when said shaft and disks rotate in a direction correspondingto rearward direction of said wheel rotation.